What Actually Happened

The Department of Justice opened a criminal investigation into E. Jean Carroll on May 27, 2026, according to CNN, Reuters, ABC News, and The New York Times — all citing multiple sources familiar with the matter.

The probe centers on whether Carroll committed perjury during testimony tied to her civil lawsuits against President Trump. Carroll — a former Elle magazine columnist — won two civil verdicts against Trump. A New York City jury awarded her $5 million in 2023 after finding Trump liable for sexually abusing her in a department store dressing room in the 1990s and defaming her. A second jury ordered Trump to pay $83.3 million in a separate defamation case in 2024, according to ABC News.

The investigation is being led by Andrew S. Boutros, the U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois — a Trump appointee who took the role in 2025, according to The New York Times.

The Blanche Recusal

Deputy Attorney General Todd Blanche recused himself from this investigation, according to ABC News, Reuters, and The New York Times.

Blanche personally represented Trump in legal appeals tied to Carroll's civil lawsuits. The deputy head of the DOJ had a direct financial and professional stake in the outcome of the very cases that are now the basis for this probe.

Blanche stepping aside is necessary. The fact that it needed to happen at all is significant: the DOJ is investigating a woman who beat Trump in civil court, and the department's deputy chief had to remove himself because he was Trump's lawyer in those same cases.

What the Left-Leaning Media Is Getting Right — and Wrong

CNN and The New York Times framed this as part of a "campaign" by the DOJ against Trump's perceived enemies. That assessment isn't without basis — this probe does fit a broader pattern of DOJ actions targeting people who've publicly clashed with Trump.

But leading with that narrative before any facts of the alleged perjury are established shortcuts the analysis. If Carroll did commit perjury, that's a crime. The identity of her adversary doesn't grant her immunity from accountability. The NYT called it a "campaign going after his perceived enemies" in its own headline — before a single charge has been filed or evidence publicly tested.

That frames the investigation as politically illegitimate before the facts are even out.

What the Rest of the Media Is Leaving Out

Almost no outlet is asking: What specifically is the alleged perjury?

CNN, Reuters, ABC News, and The Times provide no detail about what Carroll allegedly lied about, when she allegedly lied, or what evidence triggered this probe. "Perjury in her civil lawsuits" covers considerable territory, and the public deserves to know what the government is actually claiming.

Without that information, there is a criminal probe with no publicly stated factual basis. This should concern anyone observing the case.

The Broader Pattern — And Why It's Legitimately Concerning

ABC News noted that this probe is "the latest among a series of investigations launched by the department into foes of Trump, a number of which have faced significant obstacles in the courts and grand juries."

Grand juries — which are not controlled by Trump or the DOJ — have reportedly pushed back on some of these cases. But the pattern of targeting individuals who've publicly clashed with a sitting president using federal law enforcement is a serious institutional concern regardless of which party does it.

Democrats argued, correctly, when they believed Trump was being unfairly prosecuted. The same standard applies now. Using DOJ resources to pursue perceived political enemies is problematic. Whether the perjury allegation here is legitimate or not, the pattern warrants scrutiny.

What Carroll's Side Says

Attorneys for Carroll declined to comment, according to ABC News. Her lawyer Roberta Kaplan did not immediately respond to requests for comment, according to MS Now. The DOJ itself declined to comment.

The silence from all sides makes independent verification of the core allegation — the perjury claim — impossible right now.

What This Means for Regular People

The DOJ just opened a criminal probe against a private citizen whose primary offense, as far as the public record shows, is winning civil lawsuits against the current president.

If Carroll lied under oath, prosecution should follow — the same as anyone else. Perjury is perjury.

But if this investigation goes nowhere — like several other DOJ actions against Trump critics apparently have — taxpayers will have funded another politically convenient fishing expedition with zero accountability for the people who launched it.

The Justice Department works for the American people, not for any president.